Bellator 131's Joe Schilling 'not very proud of my first run in MMA'

Joe Schilling is unhappy with the way his first MMA stint played out. He won just one of four professional fights in 2008 and hasn’t put on another pair of four-ounce gloves since.

Over the past six years, Schilling has made his bones as an elite competitor in kickboxing. The 30-year-old has found tremendous success in the ring, but even then, the disappointment of his failures in MMA seeped through.

“I’m not very proud of my first run in MMA,” Schilling told MMAjunkie. “I didn’t take it seriously. I was a kickboxer trying to stay busy and there was no kickboxing going on at the time. I was doing boxing fights and MMA fights. I wasn’t prepared for it and I wasn’t taking it seriously at the time. I was young and a little cocky.”

Schilling (1-3 MMA, 0-0 BMMA) has desired redemption for some time now, but the right opportunity never came to fruition. It finally did for Bellator 131, as the American signed a four-fight deal with the organization and will debut against fellow kickboxing hybrid Melvin Manhoef (29-11-1 MMA, 1-0 BMMA) at Saturday’s event.

Bellator 131 takes place today at Valley View Casino Center in San Diego, Calif. Schilling vs. Manhoef airs on the Spike TV-televised main card following prelims on MMAjunkie.

Schilling has been in the market for an MMA fight for a while, but considering his record, he claims he didn’t know what venue would best suit his talents. But when well-known former kickboxing and MMA promoter Scott Coker took over the reigns at Bellator MMA earlier this year, he contacted Schilling and the fighter jumped all over the opportunity.

“I had a break in my GLORY contract, so Scott Coker called my manager up and asked if I wanted to fight Melvin Manhoef,” Schilling said. “It took me about four seconds to agree to the fight.”

While Schilling is glad to be back in a sport where he’s mostly struggled, it’s highly unlikely he’ll have to showcase many skills beyond his striking. Bellator president Coker has called the matchup with Manhoef “a kickboxing match in MMA gloves,” and few, including Schilling, would argue with that assessment.

However, Schilling also said he has prepared for every possibility accordingly. If he’s put on the ground and forced to fight off his back, he’ll be more than ready for it.

“I’m really excited for this fight, and whether it stays on the feet or goes to the ground, I will win this fight,” Schilling said. “I don’t expect either one of us to shoot (for a takedown), but you never know. If Melvin feels my power, he might want to take it to the ground. If someone gets knocked down or somebody slips, you never know what could happen.

“I’m taking it seriously and I have to be prepared and comfortable for every situation. I’m ready for this fight no matter where it takes place. I’m more prepared for MMA now than I ever was before.”

Despite ensuring his bases are covered, Schilling fully expects to stand toe-to-toe with Manhoef and provide spectators with a historic striking battle. He may have significantly less MMA experience than Manhoef, but in the end, Schilling still thinks he’ll emerge the victor.

“We’re going to have some really explosive, dangerous exchanges,” Schilling said. “One way or another, Melvin’s going to get caught with a shot and he’s going to get finished. I see it ending by knockout.”

For more on Bellator 131, check out the MMA Rumors section of the site.